Pave paradise, put up a basketball court
Once again City Manager Bruce Rudd aims to eliminate green, open space in downtown Fresno. This time he wants to destroy Eaton Plaza, which is used for cultural and community events, by paving over substantial portions of the plaza to install one or more basketball courts.
As someone who went to her first Lakers game at age 9, I have no problem with basketball courts. I object only to this proposed location. There are numerous blighted properties downtown that would greatly benefit from such recreational facilities. Thus it is wrong-headed to pour asphalt over any of Eaton Plaza’s green space in park-poor Fresno.
Choosing another site holds the potential to stimulate adjacent development, and could even lift Fresno up a notch from nearly the bottom of the national rankings where the city sits for park access. It is astonishing that Fresnans still have to remind elected officials and well-paid city staff of this embarrassing statistic.
Let’s say “Fres-yes” to more parks by creating basketball courts at another location. Doing so will improve the city rather than making it worse off.
Jill Fields, Fresno
This story was originally published March 12, 2017 at 6:17 PM with the headline "Pave paradise, put up a basketball court."